Fuel conditioning device



Feb. 17, 1948. w. T. RHOTEN 2,436,013

FUEL CONDITIONING DEVICE Filed Nov. 20, 1945. 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTQR WESLEY "r. RHOTEN,

ATTORNEYS Feb. 17, 1948. w. T. RHOTEN' FUEI: CONDITIONING DEVICE Filed Nov. 20, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 YFIG. 3

FIG 5 mvemon WESLEY 'r. rmo'nsu, BY

ATTO RNEYS Patented Feb. 17, 948

* UNITED. STATES IPATENT oFFlCE 2,436,018 FUEL CONDITIONING DEVICE I Wesley T. Rhoten. Miamiville, Ohio Application November 20. 1945, Serial No. 629,874

2 Claims. (01. 261-91) 1 This present invention relates to fuel conditioning devices wherein gasoline or heavier liquid fuels are acted upon to produce such a condition of the fuel as will be suitable for its use in internal combustion engines.

The main object of the invention is the provision of a carburetor in which the fuel is vaporized by suction and the vapor is mixed with air to the saturation point and the mixture is conducted to the motor.

Another object of the invention is the creation of the vacuum by centrifugal force.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combination of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the drawings forming part of this specification and illustrating the following description:

Figure 1 is a diametral section of the preferred embodiment of my invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail section through a part of a spraying conduit and the jet at the outer end thereof;

Figure 3 is a transverse section on line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged transverse section on line 4-4 of Figure 1; v

Figure 5 is a detail perspective view of a fragmentary pipe forming part of the withdrawal conduit.

Fig. 6 shows in section the impeller structure by which fuel is elevated.

Referring more particularly to the drawing in which like characters of reference designate like or similar parts throughout the several views, 2 indicates a gasoline chamber a vertical wallof which has a tubular extension 3. A pipe 4 supplying gasoline is inserted through the extension and is held therein by a nut 5. The inner end of the pipe within the chamber is closed by a valve member I which is hinged at its lower edge by a pin 8 to the inner side of the chamber and rigid with a float member 9, if the level of the gasoline g in which the float member floats is suiflciently high. If the level drops the valve is automatically opened.

The gasoline chamber has a horizontal flange ID at its upper edge and is fastened by bolts I l passing through the flange and the bottom of a main casing l3 to the latter. The circular bottom of the 2 substantially cylindrical casing is centrally apertured at l5 to permit the insertion of a cylindrical withdrawal sleeve I1, the axis of which is vertically disposed. The exterior cylindrical surface 'of the sleeve is sufliciently spaced from the concave edge of the opening to establish communi-- cation between the chamber and'casing.

The lower end portion of the sleeve'is immersed in the gasoline andsurrounds'a tube l9 which is provided at its lower end by a cylindrical cap 20 having an aperture in its flat bottom (Fig. ,6) A ball 2| is seated on the aperture and permits gasoline to enter the pipe. but prevents itsv cut- 7 ward flow. The cap carries at its lower end an impeller structure 23 which includes a cylinder closed at both ends and an apertured cylindrical Wall 24. in such wall into four spaces each bounded by the concave surface of one vane 25 and the convex.

surface of another vane. These spaces communicate through openings 21 with the interior of an inner cylinder 28 which opens at the top into the ball covered aperture (Fig.6)

The tube is fastened at its upper end intthe center of the top 3| of a bottomless revolvable drum 32 which is'divided by four partitions 33 into an equal number of sectoral chambers. The top end of the drum has a central enlargement or boss 35 which is tapped for insertion of the lower threadedend of a shaft 31 'journaled in a bearing 38. The same is mounted in a recess formed in the enlarged central part of the top 40 of the main casing. Bolts 4| secure the former to the latter.

The shaft is rigid with and driven by the armature of'a motor 43 boltedjby bolts 44 to the ,see-

mental portions of a pair of angle brackets 46 also including vertical'parts t! and horizontal flanges 48. to the top surface of the top of the casing. v

The upper end of. the tube 19 has a plurality of holes each of which registers with a radial conduit 50 formed in the top end of the drum and which is connected at its upper-end to an air filter;

Gasoline may enter through openings The latter are secured by bolts 41' (not shown) and attached to the main casing. Below the holes described is another pair of registering holes in the casing and stand pipe. A branch pipe 56 extends from and connects to the withdrawal sleeve l1 through the lower hole in the casing wall into the hole of the stand pipe. A slotted piece of pipe 58 of he d ameter of the branch pipe also extends into the lower hole in the stand pipe and abuts against the end of the branch pipe. This fragmentary pipe has the lower half of its intermediate portion cut away and extends with its complete right-hand end portion into an exteriorly threaded plug 59 which is received into a hole in the stand pipe and carries a locknut 60. I u

The slotted piece of pipe can be set at different angles for different fuel-and-air ratios.

A throttle 62 has the form of a circular disc of a diameter equal to the inner diameter of the stand pipe. This disc is secured along a diam eter to a pair of pivot trunnions 6'3 rotatably mounted in the stand pipe. The right-hand trunnion extends to the right side of the stand with the air intake pipe and having an opening near to its top communicating with a corresponding opening of the air intake pipe at a point above the throttle valve, a revolvable drum having radially inwardly extending fins disposed in the main casing with its outer wall extending below the opening of the main casing with the air intake pipe, rotatable means on the casing for revolving the revolvable drum, said revolvable drum having a top portion with radially outwardly extending conduits therein, the outer ends of these conduits communicating with the interior of the drum, chamber means containing liquid fuel connected to the bottom of the main casing; a central pipe extending down from the top portion of the revolt/able drum and communicating with the radial conduits thereof and adapted to enter the liquid fuel to cause the liq- .uid fuel to be raised as the drum is rotated and distributed to the radial conduits thereof, whereby liquid fuel will be delivered to the outlets of pipe and may be used as a handle for adjusting the extent of the throttle opening.

Gasoline or other fuel enters the chamber to the extent permitted by the neat arid fills the rower end of the tube carrying the ban valve and impeller and is lifted inliqui'd {one by the rotation of the same and fills in such form the rest of the tube 91nd the radial conduits 50 in th' df'l lfri 1:015. Rotation of tli tube the impeller carried bythe lower end thereof will sweep liquid gfi-Sllifi H1176 fli' IOWf ei'id (if the tube after lifting the valve bad to replace the lifted liquid gasoline. time will dvldfi centrifugal forces which cause the liquid gasoline to move outwardly inthe radial conduits so that suction takes place and aids the lifting (if the liquid gasoline in the bottom portion of the tuba The fdtation of the un euer at the lower end Of fil tiibe keeps the lower part thereof filled with liquid gasoline.

The centrifugal force moves the liquid gasoline in the radial conduits outwardly and through the noznes at the outer ends thereof in sprayed form into the chamber where the heavfer particles are thrown against the inner side of the cylindrical walls of the chamber. Then they fall backto the bottom of the casing and from there intothe gasoline.

The lighter particles however are picked up by air entering the withdrawal sleeve after readily mixing with the air admitted into the space above the sleeve. The mixture reaches a satu ration point and any gasoline vapor left after this point is reached will condense and fall to the bottom like the heavier particles.

When the withdrawal increases less pure gasoline vapor will fall to the bottom because more of such vapor will mix with the additional air drawn in. The mixture in the withdrawal sleeve and branch pipe will therefore not exceed the saturation point. I

I ani aware that the particular embodiment of my invention above described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing is susceptible of considerable variations without departing from the spirit thereof, and therefore i desire to claim ins invention broadly as well as specifically as indicated by the appended claims.

What} claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows:

1. In combination, an air intake pipe having a throttle valve therein,- a main casing associated Rotation or the drum with the" the radial conduits and to the interior of the drum, a withdrawal sleeve surrounding the central pipe and spaced therefrom to receive air and fuel mixture formed within the revolvable drum from air entering the maincasing from the air intake pipe and drawn upwardly into the space Within the revolvable drum from its bottom opening thereof, a branch pipe extending from the withdrawal sleeve into the air intake pipe at a point between the air inlet to the main easing' and the throttle valve, and ouuet means in the bottom of the main casingfor returning drum having radially inwardly extending fins disposed within the ma n casing with its outer wall extending below the opening of the main casing with the air intake pipe, rotatable means on the casing for revolving the revolvable drum, said revolvable drum having a top portion with radially outwardly extending conduits therein, the outer ends of these conduits communicating with the interior of the drum, chamber means containing liquid fuel connected to the bottom of the main casing, a central pipe extending down from the top portion of the revolvable drum and communicating with the radial conduits thereof and adapted to enter the liquid fuel to cause the liquid fuel to b raised as the drum is rotated and distributed to the radialconduits thereof, whereby liquid fuel will be delivered to the outlets of the radial conduits and to the interior of the drum a withdrawal sleeve surrounding the central pipe and spaced therefrom to receive air and fuel mixture formed within the revolvable drum from air entering the main casing from the air intake pipe and drawn upwardly into the space within the revolvable druii'i from its bottom opening thereof a branch p pe extending from the withdrawal sleeve into the air intake pipe at a point between the air inlet to the main casing and the throttle valve, and outlet means in the bottom of the main casing .for returning such heavy particles of the fuel which have anti-mixed with the air to the fuel chamber, the lower end 0! said withdrawal sleeve communicating'lyfith the liquid fuel chamber to extract such heayy particles of fuel which have not mixed withlgtji'ae air from the mixture, a, pipe 5 1. REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of thisjpatent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,247,602 Taylor Nov. 20, 1917 1,551,239 Desch Aug. 25, 1925 1,622,413 Brockway et a1 Mar. 29, 1927 1,679,793 Smith et al Aug, 7, 1928 2,105,992 Tolman Jan. 18, 1938 

